Disposal unit



[ILIIlIl/lllllllllllllllll Oct. 11, 1960 L. A. WELCHES DISPOSAL UNITFiled July 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 INVENTOR. Lo/my W51. 0145s ATTDRNEYS Oct. 11, 19 L. A. WELCHES 2,955,767

DISPOSAL UNIT Filed July 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 4/ LURE/V14. WEL CHES ATTDRN EYS United States Patent() DISPOSAL UNIT Loren A.Welches, 251 Medburn St., Concord, Calif.

Filed July 18, 1958, Ser. No. 749,351

*4 Claims. (Cl. 24146) This invention relates to a disposal unit.

The object of the invention is to provide a disposal unit which isadapted to be used for disintegrating or cutting up articles ormaterials such as articles which would normally clog up or stop up atoilet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a disposal unit which canbe used for disintegrating or disposing of articles such as sanitarynapkins, and wherein the disposal unit of the present invention includesa cutting mechanism which is actuated or controlled by the opening orclosing of a door so that when the door of the device is opened to placearticles therein, the cutting mechanism is automatically turned off, andwhen the door is closed, the cutting mechanism is automatically turnedon, so that the device can be used or operated with in creased safety orfacility.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disposal unit which isextremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout thesame.

Figure l is a perspective view of the disposal unit of the presentinvention. a

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating certainconstructional details of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the cuttingblades.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral designates or indicatesthe disposal unit of the present invention, and the disposal unit 10includes a hollow housing which is indicated generally by the numeral11. The housing 11 includes a cylindrical side wall 12 which is providedwith an elongated opening 13 therein. The numeral 14 indicates a doorwhich is mounted for movement into and out of opened and closed relationwith respect to the opening 13, and the door 14 is pivotally or hingedlyconnected to the wall 12 by means of a hinge unit 15 which has a spring16 arranged in engagement therewith. The spring 16 serves to normallyurge or maintain the door 14 in closed position. A handle 17 isconnected to the door 14 and the handle 17 is adapted to be manuallygripped in order to facilitate opening of the door 14 as for examplewhen articles are placed in the unit to be chopped up or disposed of.

Mounted within the housing 11 are brackets 18, and

2,955,767 Patented Oct. 11, 1960 ice blades 21 are driven by the shaft19. The numeral 22 indicates a drive shaft which is pivotally connectedto the upper end of the shaft 19 by means of a universal coupling 23.

There is further provided alink means which connects the door 14 to theshaft 22, and this link means comprises a first arm 24 which isconnected to the door 14 as at 25. A loop 26 is arranged on the otherend of the arm 24. The numeral 27 indicates a second arm which isarranged contiguous to the first arm 24 and which is slidably connectedthereto, and one end of the arm 27 is loosely connected to the shaft 22as at 28, while the other end of the arm 27 is provided with loops 29that slidably receive the arm 24.

Mounted on the upper end of the shaft 22 is a first gear 30, and thegear 30 is mounted for movement into and out of meshing engagement witha second gear 31. The gear 31 is mounted on the lower end of a stubshaft 32, and a motor 33 is provided for rotating or actuating the shaft32. The motor 33 is supported on a horizontally disposed platform 34,and a dome-shaped casing 35 is arranged above the motor.33. The numeral36 indicates an On and Off switch which is adapted to be used forcontrolling actuation of the motor 33, and wires 37 are provided forsupplying electrical energy from a suitable source of supply to themotor 33.

As shown in Figure 2 for example, a conduit 38 is connected to thehousing 11, whereby water from a suitable source of supply can besupplied to the interior of the housing. A fitting 39 is connected tothe lower end of the housing 11, and a conduit 40 is connected to thefitting 39 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of bolt andnut assemblies 41. The conduit 40 can lead to any suitable locationsiich as to a sewer line whereby the material which has beendisintegrated or chopped up can be conveyed through the conduit 40 toany desired or proper location.

As shown in the drawings, the rotary blades 21 may be connected to theshaft 19 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of pins 42, orelse a key arrangement may be utilized. The stationary blades 20 areprovided with projections 43, which are adapted to coact with similarprojections or pointed shoulders 44 on the r'otary blades 21, wherebythe portions 43 and 44 will coact to help increase the cutting of thearticles such as the sanitary napkins.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided adisposal unit which is especially suitable for use in disposing ofvarious articles such as sanitary napkins. -In use, the unit 10 can bearranged in any convenient location, and the motor 33 can be connectedto a suitable source of supply of electrical energy by means of thewires 37. The pipe 38 is adapted to be connected to a water supply andthe conduit 40 can lead to a sewer or other locality. Then, when thearticles such as the sanitary napkins are to be disposed of, the switch36 can be turned on so as to actuate the motor 33 and then when anarticle such as a napkin is to be gotten rid of, the user merely gripsthe handle 17 and pulls the door 14 open about the hinge 15. The articleis then dropped into the housing 11 and when pressure is released on thehandle 17, the spring 16 will return the door 14 to its, closedposition.

According to the present invention, it will be seen that when the switch36 is actuated, the motor 33 is turned on so as to continually drive theshaft 32 and gear 31. As long as the parts are in the position shown inFigure 2, the gear 30 will mesh with the gear 31 so that the shaft 22will rotate to thereby turn the shaft 19 which in turn will rotate theblades 21. However, when the door 14 is opened to insert the articlestherein, it will be noted that the arm 24 will be moved a distance untilthe 'be provided forthe conduit 40.

1 g 5,955,767 7 f 4 w s 7 loop 26 engages the loop 29 which will thenpull the shaft 22 in an outward direction, Figure 2, since the shaft 22can pivot outwardly by reason of the universal coupling 23. This pivotalmovement of the shaft 22 causes the gear 30 to move out of engagementwith the gear 31 so-that when thedoor 1 4 is opened, no further rotationof the shaft 19 and blades 21 will occur. This acts. as

a safety feature since the cutting blades will not rotate when; the dooris opened so that there will be no possibility ofa person damaging orinjuring the hand when inserting articles into the device.

The arm 24 is provided with a shoulder 45, so that Whenthe door 14closes, the shoulder 45 abuts the ad-. jacent loop 29 so that to returnthe arm 27 and shaft 22. to. the upright position, as for exampleasshown in Figures 2 and 3. Thus, with the door 14 in closed position, theshoulder45 will engage or abut the loop 29' so as. to maintain the gear30 in meshing engagement with the gear 31, whereby the. cutting,mechanism can be operated-to disintegrate or chop up the article beingdisposed of.

' The device is constructed so that after the door 14 has been opened,the article to be disposed of can be inserted in the housing 11, andthen the door will close so as tocause the blades 21 to rotate wherebythe article such as a sanitary napkin can be readily cut up or disinrtegrated. At the same time, water from the pipe 38 can is closed, one360 revolution of the blades '21 is brought about to disintegrate orchop up the article.

With the present invention, bathroom toilets will be prevented frombecoming stopped up or clogged up and the device can be used in anydesired location. The blades may be provided with sharp cutting edges,and the end portions 43 and 44 serve to help keep the napkins in theproper place when the same are being disposed of or chopped up. Thenumber of blades being used can be varied as desired, and the blades maybe arranged in staggered formation. A suitable valve may be utilized inconnection with the water inlet pipe 38, and a trap may The water may betumed on or ofi automatically or manually.

The blades such as the blades 21 can be connected to said motor, asecond gear on the lower end of said stub shaft for selective engagementby said first gear, an inlet fluid conduit connected to said housing,said linkage including a first arm having one end connected to said doorand having a loop on its other end, a second arm having one endconnected to said drive shaft, said second arm having a loop on itsother end slidably receiving said first arm, and a shoulder on saidfirstarm for selective engagement with the, loop on said second arm.

2. In a disposal unit, a hollow housing, a spring pressed door hingedlyconnected to said housing, a handle connected to saiddoor, a drivenshaft supported in said housing, a plurality of stationary bladesmounted in said second gear oni the lower end ofthe stub shaft forselecblades, a drive shaft pivotally connected to .the upper end ofsaiddrivenshaft, link means connecting said door to said drive shaft, afirst gear on the upper end of said drive shaft, a motor supportedadjacent the top of the housing, a stub shaft depending from said motor,a second gear on the lower end of the stub shaft for selectiveengagement by said first gear, an inlet fluid conduit connected to saidhousing, said, linkage including a first arm having one end connected tosaid door and having a loop on its'other end, and a second arm slidablyengaged by said loopand having one end connected to said drive shaft,said second arm having a loop on its other end slidably engaging saidfirst arm, and a shoulder on said first arm for selective engagementwiththe loop on said second arm.

the shaft 19 by pins or else other securing elements such as Allen typescrews can be used.

7 Minor changes in shape, sizeand rearrangement of details coming withinthe field of invention claimed maybe resorted to in actualpractice, ifdesired.

I claim:

1. In a disposal unit, a hollow housing including a cylindrical sidewall, a fitting connected to the lower end of said housing, a conduitconnected to said fitting, a spring pressed door hingedly connected tosaid housing, a handle connected to said door, brackets mounted in saidhousing, a driven shaft supported by saidbrackets, a plurality ofstationary blades mounted in said housing, a plurality of movable bladesoperativcly connected to said shaft for coaction with' said stationaryblades, a

drive shaft pivotally connected to the upper end of said driven shaft,link. means connecting said door to said drive shaft, a first gear onthe upper end of said drive shaft, a horizontally disposed platformmounted adjacent the upperend of said housing, a dome-like casingpositioned over said platform, a motor supported on Said platform belowsaid casing, a stub shaft depending from 4. In a disposal unit, a hollowhousing including a cylindrical side wall, a fitting connected to thelower end of said housing, a conduit connected to said fitting, a springpressed door hingedly connected to said housing, a handle connected tosaid door, brackets mounted in said housing, a driven shaft supported bysaid brackets, a

plurality of stationary blades mounted in said housing, a plurality ofmovable blades 'operatively connected to said shaft for coaction withsaid stationary blades, a drive shaft pivotally connected to the upperend of said driven shaft, link means connecting said door to said driveshaft, a first gear on the upper end of said drive shaft, a horizontallydisposed platform mounted adjacent the upper end of said housing, adome-like casing positioned over said platform, a motor supported onsaid platform below said casing, a stub shaft depending from said motor,and a second gearon the lower end of said stub shaft for selectiveengagement by said first gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

